For a truly connected, energy-efficient home, consider the Ecobee iPhone or iPod Touch app, which launched today in the iTunes Store. This app lets you control your Ecobee Smart Thermostat from anywhere, just as if you were at home. All you need is a Wi-Fi network. Did you leave for vacation and forget to turn the heat down? No problem. You can even set the heat to go up again just before you get home, so the house is nice and toasty for your return.

The app presents an interface identical to the actual thermostat, so there's nothing more to learn. You'll save energy and money by using it, since you'll always know your home's temperature and be able to adjust it remotely. The app is a free download, but the actual Ecobee Smart Thermostat will set you back $469, plus installation.

Troy Dreier is a technology writer and editor based in Jersey City, NJ. He’s the editor of OnlineVideo.net, senior associate editor for StreamingMedia.com, and a former staff editor for PC Magazine. He’s @tdreier on Twitter.
More »